ShannonAguayo at 17:17, 16 November 2025

2025-11-16T17:17:35Z

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{{Short description|First zamindar of Kadirpara}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| pre-nominals = ''First [[Babu (title)|Babu]] [[zamindar]] of [[Kadirpara Union|Kadirpara]]''<br/>''[[Munshi]]''
| name = Balaram Das
| native_name = মুন্সি বলরাম দাস
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| image = File:Munshi Balaram Das.jpg
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| caption = Portrait attributed to Munshi Balaram Das
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| birth_date = 17th century
| birth_place = [[Khulna Division|Jahanabad]], [[Bengal Subah]], [[Mughal Empire]] (now [[Khulna]], [[Bangladesh]])
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| death_place = ''[[Kadirpara Estate]]'', [[Bengal]] (now [[Magura District]], [[Bangladesh]])
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| successor = Babu Radhakrishna Munshi
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| children = Childless
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| father = [[Majumdar Rajiv Lochan Das]]
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'''[[Munshi]] Balaram Das''' ({{langx|bn|মুন্সি বলরাম দাস}}, c. 17th century) was a [[Bengalis|Bengali]] [[aristocrat]] and [[zamindar]] who founded the [[Kadirpara Estate]]. He served as the [[Munshi]] of [[Raja Sitaram Ray]], the 17th century independent [[Hindu]] zamindar who revolted against [[Mughal Empire]].<ref name="auto1">{{Cite book|title=Jashor Khulnar Itihash|last=Satish Chandra Mitra|date=2001 |publisher=Dey's Publishing|isbn=81-7612-766-3|page=637}}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{Cite book|title=Raja Sitaram Ray|last=Jadunath Bhattacharya|date=1910 |publisher=Nagendranath Seal|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.317009/page/n83/mode/2up|page=69}}</ref>
{{History of Bengal}}
{{Zamindars of Bengal}}
==Background==
Satish Chandra Mitra, in his book ''History of Jessore-Khulna'' (Bengali: ''Jashor Khulnar Itihash''), has mentioned that Munshi Balaram Das belonged to the 17th century aristocratic Das family, which settled in [[Shailkupa Upazila|Shailkupa]], along with [[Nandy (surname)|Nandy]] and Chaki families, upon a conflict of Tilak Karkat and Jatadhar Nag with [[Ballal Sena]] of [[Sena Dynasty]], establishing their own state.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite book|title=Jashor Khulnar Itihash|last=Satish Chandra Mitra|date=2001 |publisher=Dey's Publishing|isbn=81-7612-766-3|page=637}}</ref> Some accounts also mentioned that Munshi Balaram himself established the Shailkupa state.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Jashor Jelar Itihash|date=1989 |publisher=National Institute of Local Government (Bangladesh)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6lQsAAAAIAAJ&q=%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BF+%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE+%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8|page=203}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Jhinaidaher Itihash|date=1991 |publisher=Jela Prakashak|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UegbAAAAIAAJ&q=%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BF+%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE+%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8|page=52}}</ref> The Dases belonged to [[Bengali Kayastha|Barendra Kayastha]] clan. Several accounts stated [[Mahatma]] Narasimha Das, a contemporary [[Nobility|noble man]] during [[Ballal Sena]]'s reign, to be the progenitor of the Dases, who belonged to the [[Bengali Kayastha|Barendra Kayastha]] clan. After ceaseless wars, his descendants finally settled at Shailkupa, having a fortune to devote themselves in the service of Shri Shri Ram Gopal (deities once served by an ascetic) building a [[shrine]] dedicated to them.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite book|title=Jashor Khulnar Itihash|last=Satish Chandra Mitra|date=2001 |publisher=Dey's Publishing|isbn=81-7612-766-3|page=637}}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{Cite book|title=Raja Sitaram Ray|last=Jadunath Bhattacharya|date=1910 |publisher=Nagendranath Seal|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.317009/page/n83/mode/2up|page=69}}</ref>

==Family==
The first individual from Das family to settle in Kadirpara was Majumdar Rajivlochan Das, who used to carry the hereditary [[Majumdar]] title conferred to the Dases by the Nawab administration. Rajivlochan had three sons named Hariram, [[Ramram Das|Ramram]] and Balaram, respectively. All the three siblings used to possess high intellect and mighty personality, which grabbed attention of [[Raja Sitaram Ray]].<ref name="auto1">{{Cite book|title=Jashor Khulnar Itihash|last=Satish Chandra Mitra|date=2001 |publisher=Dey's Publishing|isbn=81-7612-766-3|page=637}}</ref> The ancestors of Balaram were conferred with the titles like [[Rai (title)|Rai]], [[Rai (title)|Rai-Raiyan]], and [[Sarkar (surname)|Sarkar]] apart from [[Majumdar]] for their roles in society.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite book|title=Raja Sitaram Ray|last=Jadunath Bhattacharya|date=1910 |publisher=Nagendranath Seal|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.317009/page/n83/mode/2up|page=69}}</ref> The Dases, upon ceaseless joint attacks by [[Arakanese people|Arakanese]] and [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]] [[pirates]], moved from Shailkupa to [[Dariapur Union, Sreepur|Dariapur]], followed by [[Kadirpara Union|Kadirpara]].<ref name="auto1">{{Cite book|title=Jashor Khulnar Itihash|last=Satish Chandra Mitra|date=2001 |publisher=Dey's Publishing|isbn=81-7612-766-3|page=637}}</ref>

==Rise to power==
According to Satish Chandra Mitra, Balaram along with his sibling Ramram once fought off fearsome robbers with immense courage. [[Raja Sitaram Ray]], impressed with their courage, granted the siblings a whole village called ''Bilpakuria'' in exchange of no tax.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite book|title=Jashor Khulnar Itihash|last=Satish Chandra Mitra|date=2001 |publisher=Dey's Publishing|isbn=81-7612-766-3|page=638}}</ref> The Raja appointed Balaram as [[Munshi]] in his court, and since then his descendants carry the hereditary title across generations.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Jashor Khulnar Itihash|last=Satish Chandra Mitra|date=2001 |publisher=Dey's Publishing|isbn=81-7612-766-3|page=639}}</ref> As a result of his rise to power, Munshi Balaram accumulated vast wealth in Kadirpara, which ultimately led to the establishment of the Kadirpara Estate.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite book|title=Jashor Khulnar Itihash|last=Satish Chandra Mitra|date=2001 |publisher=Dey's Publishing|isbn=81-7612-766-3|page=638}}</ref>

==Kadirpara Estate==
{{Main|Kadirpara Estate}}
[[Kadirpara Estate]] was founded by Munshi Balaram at [[Kadirpara Union|Kadirpara]] during 17th century. Balaram Das, being childless, was succeeded by his sibling Ramram's son Radhakrishna.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite book|title=Jashor Khulnar Itihash|last=Satish Chandra Mitra|date=2001 |publisher=Dey's Publishing|isbn=81-7612-766-3|page=638}}</ref> The remains of the zamindari palace, commonly referred to as Kadirpara Babu Zamindar Bari, still stand today. It is a notable site of interest in the [[Magura District]] of present-day [[Bangladesh]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Kadirpara Babu Zamindar Bari (in Bengali)|publisher=বাংলাদেশ জাতীয় তথ্য বাতায়ন|url=https://kadirparaup.magura.gov.bd/bn/site/tourist_spot/tckH-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9C%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%81-%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9C%E0%A6%BF}}</ref>
[[File:Kadirpara Babu Zamindar Bari.jpg|thumb|An old photograph of Kadirpara Babu Zamindar Bari]]

==Family tree==
{{Tree list}}
*Majumdar Rajivlochan Das
**Hariram Das
***Premnarayan Munshi
****Krishnakanta Munshi
*****Sambhunath Munshi
******Harinath Munshi
**[[Ramram Das]]
***Radhakrishna Munshi
****Raghunath Munshi
*****Gabindanath Munshi
******Gatinath Munshi
*******Tejendra Munshi
*******Hemendra Munshi
******Chandranath Munshi
*******Jatindranath Munshi
*******Gopendranath Munshi
*****Krishnanath Munshi
******Dwarakanath Munshi
*******Trailakyanath Munshi
******Jadunath Munshi
**Munshi Balaram Das (childless, succeeded by Ramram's son Radhakrishna)<ref name="auto3">{{Cite book|title=Jashor Khulnar Itihash|last=Satish Chandra Mitra|date=2001 |publisher=Dey's Publishing|isbn=81-7612-766-3|page=638}}</ref>
{{Tree list/end}}

== References ==

{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Salim, Ghulam Husain (1898). ''Riad al-Salatin''. Translated by Salam, Abdus. Bibliotbeca Indica. p. 264.
* Stewart, Charles (1813). ''History of Bengal from the First Mohammedan Invasion until the Virtual Conquest of Bengal by the English in 1734''. London.
* Westland, J. (1874). ''A Report on the district of Jessore, its antiquities, its history, its commerce (2nd ed.)''. Bengal Secretariat Press. pp. 25–38.
* {{Cite book|last=Sen|first=Dinesh Chandra|title=Brihatbanga|isbn=81-7079-186-3|year=1999|publisher=Dey's Publishing}}

[[Category:Bengali zamindars]]
[[Category:Bengali Hindus]]
[[Category:17th-century Bengali people]]
[[Category:17th-century Indian people]]
[[Category:Year of death missing]]

Munshi Balaram Das - Revision history

ShannonAguayo at 17:17, 16 November 2025